


One Of Us

by orphan_account



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Jealousy, Pre-Season/Series 05, Prompt Fic, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 05:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15879774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Kasius's behavior is bothering her, for completely professional reasons, of course.Prompt fill!





	One Of Us

The temperature in the Lighthouse was volatile.

Sinara could have sworn that just ten minutes ago; it had been far too cold in the room not to be buried under two blankets. Now, she was overheating. She shifted her legs underneath the blanket, hoping to put off moving the blanket by finding a cooler part of the mattress.

But it was to no avail.

“No one has figured out how to fix the environmental controls yet?” She muttered, sitting up to push the heavier wool blanket off them.

“The thing my engineer requires to fix it should be arriving with the next delegation off Hala,” Kasius replied, propping himself up on an elbow to look at her. “At least, we have cause to look forward to their visit now.”

“You always look forward to it.” Sinara glanced back at him, unable to see and read his expression in the half-dark.

Kasius sighed and shifted back slightly so she could resume her position curled against him, their heads resting side by side on the pillow. Whether or not it was cooler to spread out across the bed seemed beside the point.

And besides, the environmental controls could go down at any moment. Then, it wouldn’t be too long before the room was so cold, she almost felt like she was standing outside without a pressure suit. So, it was practical.

“What happened here?” Kasius asked, fingers grazing over the top of her lower thigh. Even the light touch made the bruise there ache slightly, and the fact that he could see it in the darkened room only proved how gruesome it was.

Sinara wanted to brush him aside. Part of her seethed at him for asking the question, but a bigger part of her was touched. She wished he wouldn’t do this, it made it a lot harder to keep the arrangement straight in her head.

They worked together. They were friends. Friends who, more than occasionally, slept together. But most importantly, they were not in love. Such things would do neither of them any good; it wouldn't work on Hala. It would become a distraction, a weakness, and an obstacle in their return to Hala.

She wasn’t an idiot, she was reasonably certain any feelings she had were mutual, but she needn’t make any of that harder for Kasius than it already was.

“One of my soldiers finally managed to land a blow.” She replied, her tone suggesting the conversation was over. “Don’t do that, it hurts.”

Kasius’s hand jerked away, sighing in exasperation but he knew enough not to comment further. He settled back against the pillow and turned to face her.

She shut her eyes before he got settled, _no need to encourage more pillow talk tonight._

Moments later the room’s door opened, the light flickered on, and a trembling voice called out; “Sir?”

The flash of irritation was so intense that she had to resist the urge to reach for the orbs, buried somewhere in the pile of discarded clothes. Instead, she rolled onto her side to face the door, holding the sheet over her chest as she sat and fixed the Terran girl with a glare.

The girl deflated under her stare, moving back towards the door.

“What is it?” Kasius asked, not sounding irritated by the interruption. “Oh Sinara, stop scaring the poor girl.”

Sinara looked away from the girl, instead fixing her gaze on Kasius as he gave his servitor a careful, appreciative once-over.

“Ella, I trust there is a good reason for this interruption,” Kasius’s eyes flickered towards her own for a moment, then away again, narrowing slightly. “Or did you just want to see me?”

“There’s a riot happening on a Terran level, sir. Vicar wanted you to know.”

“Ah, pity,” Kasius said, his eyes flickering towards Sinara again, this time like a question. Presumably, _shall we_ , but she couldn’t quite read it. “We’ll be with him in a moment, leave us.”

Ella backed out of the room, shutting the door hard behind her, her hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor outside.

The too-warm sensation Sinara felt now was entirely unrelated to the malfunctioning environmental controls.

*

The emissary from Hala, Navat, was annoying her to no end, sitting at the table with Kasius and his entourage, talking seemingly at full volume. In the echo chamber of a reception hall, it was nearly painful to listen to.

Sinara almost longed for one of those deafening devices Kasius used on the Terrans, so she wouldn’t have to hear any of this.

Kasius, as usual, was thoroughly enjoying the visit with people from home. No matter how much they mocked or belittled him, he smiled serenely and talked all smooth and composed through the entire ordeal.

Meanwhile, she wanted to throw something; the amount of disrespect they were given by their honored was appalling.

“Whatever is there to do around here?”

“I assure you, my assignment keeps me quite busy, it’s nearly as exciting as being on Hala. Though I’m sure, you’d know more of the new excitements of Hala than I.” Kasius’s tone was light, conspiratorial, one she recognized well from more private matters.

Navat laughed, but the sound was devoid of any real humor. “I suppose you’d like to know all about those, wouldn’t you?”

“I’m sure something could be arranged, if--”

A hand gripped her arm, dragging her aside and causing her to miss the rest of the sentence; which was likely not the worst thing that could have happened at that moment.

“Sinara!” Hek-Sel hissed, catching her arm and pulling her into the hallway.

Kasius glanced over at the disruption, and both of them waved him aside.

“What are you going to kill one of them?” Hek-Sel demanded. “You should see your face out there.”

“You would think that diplomats could at least feign politeness.” She muttered, largely ignoring his question.

Hek-Sel frowned at her. “I thought they were being perfectly reasonable, not like when the last crew came through.”

“This is far worse than last time.”

“You’re only saying that because you love Kasius, try not to muck up getting out of here for the rest of us, why don’t you.”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” Sinara said flatly.

“What? It’s not exactly a big secret after the storage room incident--”

Sinara shot him a tired glare.

“You hate it when other people have his attention, but all right, deny it all you want, just don’t screw the rest of us over. It’s childish.”

“You’re childish.” Sinara snapped back, though it came out more petulant than scathing.

Hek-Sel frowned at her, looking almost ready to laugh.

“We,” She lifted a hand, indicating the pair of them. “Want the same thing. I’m not going to fuck it up.”

*

Sinara didn’t see him again until the next morning when she returned from a patrol on the Terran levels. Everything was annoyingly subdued among the Terrans. There had been three Renewals in the past two months since the rioting, and they were thoroughly terrified at the site of the Kree patrol.

She almost wished they weren’t so easy, at least then she’d have somewhere to direct her annoyance without seeming vaguely, or perhaps more, unhinged, depending on who was watching.

But, Kasius caught her in the hallway, he was returning from seeing off Navat’s delegation as she stepped off the elevator. She wouldn’t have paused for him if her soldiers hadn’t felt the need to be such suck-ups; pausing and greeting him.

“There you are.” Something in his gaze must have told the other soldiers to scram.

Sinara waited behind, awaiting her orders, as expected. Instead, the moment they disappeared around the corner, Kasius wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her, pressing her against the wall.

“I missed you,” He pulled back mere millimeters to speak, his lips grazing against her cheek as he spoke and she looked away. “You and Hek-Sel disappeared last night.”

For a moment, she considered letting it slide, her hands lifting to his chest, as though to wrap around him. Instead, she pushed him away and stalked away from the wall.

“We sent replacements.”

“I was not saying that you know it, Sinara. What is it?” He reached out for her again, managing to grab one of her hands as she turned away.

“You want to leave the Lighthouse.”

“Of course, and I am working on it--”

“Stop sleeping with everyone who could help us.”

“Sinara, I have never--”

“Trying to, then. Don’t say you don’t.”

Kasius smiled at her. “Jealous, Sinara?”

Sinara closed her eyes in exasperation, then slowly opened them, no. “Just don’t fuck us over like you--”

Kasius was already talking over her. “I’ve done nothing, and if I did, what does it matter to you? I have made my position perfectly clear, Sinara, yet you are content enough to feign ignorance of all that if it suits you. And if not, you do this.”

“This isn’t personal.” Sinara turned away starting down the corridor after her soldiers.

“When is it ever to you?”

She glared at him over her shoulder; _you’re ridiculous._

*

Sinara was fuming again by the time she returned to her room. She’d risked her life on multiple occasions, ruined her reputation, and got herself landed her because she supposed she cared about Kasius. How much more evidence does a person need, really?

Yet, he seemed to enjoy getting a rise out of her, or maybe it was another one of his family’s power plays. She had thought he was above that, but it wasn’t an impossible idea. Whether he was so callous, or so stupid, concupiscent, or whatever else, seemed beside the point; he was uncooperative and was going to get them all into trouble.

But two could play at that game.

*

“Again!” Sinara called out. “Faster.”

Though, she didn’t look when the Inhuman repeated the fight sequence, moving across the Crater instead to stand next to Hek-Sel.

“They’re incompetent.” She began, joining him in looking out over the collection of six Inhumans struggling through the paces.

Hek-Sel jerked his chin towards Kasius, sitting high above them in the observer’s chair to watch the training. “He says we are three months out from the next display.”

Sinara followed his gaze, her eyes briefly meeting Kasius’s before he looked away. She followed suit, turning to Hek-Sel, a smile forced on her face. She tilted her head towards the mats laid out on the floor.

“Help me show the Terrans how they’re supposed to do it.”

Hek-Sel’s anxiety was beyond apparent as he glanced up at Kasius. “Maybe you should just use the best one, I’m still sore from--”

“Coward.” _Always works on the men._

It worked on Hek-Sel too. “Fine,” He replied.

He beat her to the mat, catching her off guard by knocking her to the ground before she stopped beside him. Then, he knelt, one knee on her chest, the other alongside her torso, his forearm against her throat.

The Terrans were staring, moving to the side in plain terror.

Sinara slammed her knee into Hek-Sel’s tailbone, and he pitched forward, his forehead nearly smashing into her's. She wrapped a leg around his hips, one of her hands striking him between his left shoulder and neck as she pushed herself up and over him. While he was recovering from the blow to his neck, she retrieved the knife from her belt, holding the tip under his chin.

Just what they had told the Terrans to do, and the stupid Terrans were still stuck on flipping.

Hek-Sel’s hand tapped the mat three times in rapid succession, the sound resounding around the Crater. Sinara tossed the knife aside and looked at the Inhumans, still making no move to allow Hek-Sel to stand.

“Am I understood?” She asked the Terrans who nodded almost in perfect, terrified unison in way of a response.

Sinara nodded, then stepped off Hek-Sel, holding out her hand to help him to his feet. It was the first time she hadn’t walked away from someone she beat in sparring.

“You don’t fight back, now?” She demanded, striking Hek-Sel’s arm lightly.

“Are you training these idiots or me?” Hek-Sel grumbled, his gaze flickering nervously to the balcony and back with every word.

“Both.” Sinara returned, her voice carrying as much suggestion as she could muster. Which, admittedly, she felt was inadequate, so she gave him another smile.

High above, the noise of a metal chair screeching on the stone floor pulled their attention from training. Sinara glanced up at the commotion with everyone else in time to spot Kasius disappearing into the corridor.

_Good._

*

Sinara sat opposite Kasius at his desk as he poured over arrangements made for the upcoming Inhuman auction displayed on the tablet in front of him. His muttering ideas, tasks, thoughts, whatever came to his mind had died down; so she just sat there, staring as he typing things into the device.

“There.” He muttered finally, glancing up as though he’d forgotten there were others present. “Take this into to the kitchen.”

Ella retrieved the tablet and disappeared into the corridor, Sinara watched the Terran go, narrowing her eyes just enough to ensure Kasius was bothered by the gesture. He was giving her a hard look when she turned back to him.

But, he didn’t mention it. “How are our contenders progressing?”

“See for yourself. Go to training.”

Kasius laughed humorlessly. “There are far more important matters that require my attention, Sinara. It seems you and Hek-Sel have things,” He hesitated to find his words, maybe, or for effect. “Well in hand.”

 _Do what you want_. Sinara shrugged as though to say, not bothering to continue carrying on the conversation.

“This auction will be of particular importance, so I’d like a briefing on our three most impressive options. And I should like to see them beforehand, to be sure we put our best foot forward.”

Sinara nodded, already anticipating that he’d want more of a say in the matter than he let on. “Do you have any further requests on that matter?” Sir.

“How is the mind-reader progressing?”

“Abysmally, to put it lightly.”

“I’ll still see him, perhaps there’s something to be done. I think our guest would be particularly impressed.”

“Who is it?”

“Our guest of honor is a new general in my father’s forces, Vargas, perhaps you’ve heard of him?” Kasius asked, not looking up from the paper in his hands. “You were both stationed in the capital fifteen years ago for training.”

Sinara nodded, she remembered him being a truly legendary pain in the ass. Though, she spoke none of her thoughts on the matter.

“Good.”

Another servant re-entered the room, carrying a stack of black cloth in her arms. When Kasius motioned her closer, she stepped up the table. Kasius switched off the sound-inhibitor causing the girl to wince.

“These are yours, ma’am.” She said, speaking barely loud enough to be heard even in the dead silence of the room.

Sinara glanced at the stack of cloth, _clothes_ , uniforms back from the wash.

“Thank you, Jana, please bring them to my chambers,” Sinara hesitated and smiled at her, brightly enough to scare the girl. “Later this evening.”

Sinara could sworn Kasius gasped, and when she turned back to him; he looked so indignant it was nearly funny.

“Dismissed.” Kasius snapped at the girl, then repeated it to the room in general.

When she rose to leave with the others, he caught her wrist and held her hand to the table with surprising strength.

“What has gotten into you?” He demanded, tone seeming stuck somewhere between concerned and infuriated.

“I’m not doing anything.” Sinara returned, trying and failing to remove her hand.

“Liar, you’re acting beyond peculiar.”

“You’re seeing things.” She leaned towards him over the desk, resting her hip against the edge until she was half-seated on it.

“I assure you that I am not.”

Sinara tossed him a look of mocking sympathy. “Why worry? Clearly, it can’t be personal.” She paused and leaned further over the desk until their foreheads were nearly touching. “If you insist on holding me to a table, it could at least be more fun.”

Kasius hesitated, then kissed her. His hand released hers to rest at the nape of her neck. His other arm wrapping around her waist, supporting her as she reclined against the table.

*

She left Kasius sleeping in his chambers after untangling her limbs from his; painfully slowly so as not to disturb him, and made her way back to her chambers.

Sinara lay in her bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying to not feel anything to absolutely no avail. It was the first time she could recall that she hadn’t stayed with him after, and it felt odd not to like their trouble had caught up to them.

The muscles in her shoulders and neck ached-- probably from the table, a terrible idea in hindsight, protesting lying flat on her back. She tried to think about that, or the crack in the ceiling above her bed, or how cold her room felt. Her mind skimmed through every topic it could grasp in a desperate attempt not to look where her heart wanted to go.

She was _so stupid._

*

Vargas was unbearable, not even Kasius, usually unflappable in the task of brownnosing a superior, knew quite what to make of him. He was crass, and described all his violent acts in horrific detail, speaking loudly and inelegantly.

The auction went off easily enough, none of the other attendees notable enough to beat out Vargas. He purchased their best offering, a Terran who could become invisible, and the other attendees squabbled over the last few.

But, by the time they sat down for dinner, everyone had settled down. The other attendees seemed content enough to wait out the rest of the gathering listening to Vargas’s gross exaggerations and tales from the battlefield.

Blessedly, after dinner, everyone fragmented into small clusters, talking amongst themselves under the watchful eyes of Kasius and Hek-Sel on the dais.

“Have I seen you around somewhere?” Vargas asked, his voice slurred slightly from the numerous beverages he had consumed over the course of the evening. He was leaning on the wall, standing directly in her personal space.

“We were stationed together on Hala.”

“Some lot you got, working for this idiot.” His loud words attracted the attention of most of the room.

Sinara continued staring ahead.

“I could change that, for a price,” Vargas suggested, clearly trying to speak quietly and failing.

“Please, tell me more,” Sinara muttered under her breath, hoping he would take it as a deterrent.

He didn’t. He went on to describe a probably untrue story of some woman he saved on a mission to Praxius IV, complete with equally improbable descriptions of their subsequent, more intimate, activities.

Sinara couldn’t help but laugh at the conclusion to the story, not that it was particularly amusing but wildly improbable. “What a story? Is lying your only skill?”

Vargas looked hurt at the assumption. “You don’t believe me, love?”

Sinara looked away, letting the gesture speak for itself.

“Maybe we can talk about it back in your room, huh?”

Sinara’s eyes flickered across the room, Kasius was moving towards them at an even pace, but not watching them. She stepped around Vargas, so she was standing directly in front of him. “What more is there to tell?”

“A lot.” Vargas lurched forward, reaching for her.

Sinara side-stepped him easily, turning straight into Kasius. The force of the blow might’ve knocked her over, but he caught her with an expert arm looped around her waist, pulling her towards him.

Before she could open her mouth to utter an apology, Kasius was covering it with his own, kissing her like his life depended on it.

“What the fuck?” She vaguely registered Vargas saying.

Sinara pushed Kasius off her, pulling herself from his grasp. The entire room was staring at them, completely baffled.

“We were having a conversation, traitor.” Vargas snapped. “Your girlfriend was all over me.”

“Verily, it seems as though you were bothering her.”

“I think you just bothered her.”

The punishment might have been worth it if she had killed them both that instant.

Instead, Sinara turned on her heel and stalked out of the room, already pulling out her communicator to call in a replacement.

*

Kasius caught up with her in the entryway leading to her room where she’d paused to pay proper attention to her communicator. His communicator allowed him access to anywhere in the Lighthouse, not that he’d ever used the ability against her before.

“Sinara, what’s gotten into you?”

The question was beyond baffling. “What’s gotten into you? You sabotage every chance we have at leaving.”

“You’re behaving strangely, please don’t pretend otherwise.”

Sinara didn’t respond, even to deny it. Instead, she turned away, heading for her room.

“I don’t want to go back to Hala,” Kasius confessed, slipping past her to stand in front of the door to her bedroom.

Sinara stopped in her tracks, it was the obvious answer for his diplomatic failings and oddities, but somehow not what she was expecting. _“Why?”_

Kasius paused. “Because I’m not prepared to lose you when we do.”

Sinara was trying to process confusion so intense that any anger was shoved aside. “I’m not going to leave.”

“I know, Sinara. But the expectations pressed upon us there, suffice it to say,nothing would remain unchanged. And I don’t want to be without you.”

His hand caught hers, pulling her towards him. “I love you.”

Sinara’s heart caught in her throat, but she pressed on. _They weren’t_ in _love_. “I’m sorry, I don’t.”

“Then why have you spent the past few months trying to make me jealous?”

“I haven’t, not everything involves you.”

Kasius frowned. “No? Seems I was wrong, and you haven’t been doing precisely what I do when I want to get under your skin, with the Terrans and all.”

“You--”

“Sinara, you must have known. Try not to be too angry.”

“This isn’t a good idea.”

Kasius didn’t press the issue further, slipping past her again and starting down the hallway leading away from her room. He didn’t carry himself quite as elegantly as usual; he seemed deflated, maybe.

It was the nearest physical sign of sadness she’d ever seen from him, even when she always thought she could read him as easily as the words on her communicator.

She lurched forward and caught his arm just before he stepped out of reach, pulling him back. She wasn’t sure what she would or could say when he turned around to look at her, but it seemed wrong to leave him alone. _I don’t want to leave you alone._

So she told him, not waiting for words to make it past his quizzical look.

As she pushed open the heavy door to her room, pulling him with her and whether she meant tonight, here, or on Hala didn’t seem to matter much.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! As always comments and feedback are welcome!  
> -sinara-smith


End file.
